Independent Health & Family History Study ~~ NightMARE!!!

[Raevyn]

Egads!!

In our program we are to pick a family and interview them in their home. We are to do a health and Family History study and write a paper in APA with our findings. We have over six pages of questions we ask the family members.

I don't have a problem with interviewing... and didn't have a problem finding a family (some co-workers) to be willing to do this indepth and quite frankly incredibly personal interview.

The family was great.. their relationships were great. But their house. OMG.

it was the filthiest thing I have ever seen, roaches were crawling on me even while I was trying to do the interview. Its not as if they didn't know I was coming. They even called me yesterday to confirm.

Its a strange family unit. A boyfriend, A girlfriend, the boyfriends sister and their daughter. Kinda a nuclear family so to speak. There are so many issues to write about so many nursing diagnosis to make. But I am still having a difficult time getting over the home and that a small child (who goes to school with my kindergardener) lives in this home.

I had to come home and take a bath because I smelled so bad, I just got back from taking my whites (because we had to wear them) to the dry cleaners because they reaked of smoke and that garbage smell and in the chair I was sitting.. they had gotten grime all over them.

Im sorry.. I know I shouldn't be saying anything, but it honestly made me violently ill, and its bugging the crap out of me that a small child lives within that filth. Food papers clinging to the wall. Everything in me says... call Child Services but I don't know how to fix this, or even if I should. I mean.. people.. its honest to god.. horrible, the man.. was even picking food up off of the floor that had been there.. and started to eat it.

I work with these people and it bugs the crap out of me that they are giving personal care to MY residents... (Im very attached to my residents). I know one thing.. last weekend they had suggested a potluck.. I know now.. I will never eat anything that comes from them. I want to wait a little before I call and not really sure if I should call. The child is well loved and her needs are being met.. but the absolute disgusting filth ... what can I say. I am a MOM of 4 kids... and the mother in me is absolutely freaking out~!!!

[Carolanne]

Oh, boy, that's a tough one. Have you voiced your concerns to your instructor? Maybe she has some suggestions. The key to your post was that the family unit is strong and the children are being cared for. That's very important. As long as you didn't see any signs of abuse or mistreatment, in which case you should run not walk to call CPS. But if you feel the major issue is filthy living conditions, I'm honestly not sure how it would be handled. Maybe Social Services or someone needs to step in and get these people to clean the place up, definitely sounds like a health hazard in there. It is amazing how some people live, though, and they actually think there's nothing wrong with it. Everyone has their own standards of what housekeeping is, but I can certainly understand your concern and shock over what you saw. I'll be interested to see what the other posters have to say.

[DaFreak71]

Jeez, that's a tough situation to be in. I don't have any practical advice to give because I really don't know what should be done.

I remember watching an episode of "Cops" several years ago, I think it was filmed in Portland, Oregon (where I am originally from, which is the only reason I watched that episode, lol). There had been a domestic dispute call and when the officers responded (ended up being a very minor dispute that only involved raised voices that the neighbor mistook for something more serious), they noticed that while the children appeared to be well taken care of (not ill, no signs of abuse, etc) the house was absolutely deplorable. I mean, seriously, I have NEVER seen anything more disgusting. Piles of clothes everywhere, food on the floor, looked like someone used the blender and forgot to put the lid on it cuz there was like liquid pea soup all over the walls. Cigarette butts all over the floor, pet feces on the floor and the officers said that the smell of urine/ammonia was so strong that their eyes burned.

What the officers did was told the parents that they needed to clean the house immediately or they would be forced to call child services. The cops told them that they would return in a few hours and if the house was cleaned up, they would not call child services.

A few hours later when they returned, the house was cleaned up a bit, but still pretty bad. They did have to call child services and when they showed up they too informed the parents that the living conditions indicated child neglect. They also gave the parents an opportunity to clean the house and would return in a few days. When they returned, it was definitely improved, but still bad. Sadly, the children were taken into foster care. Not sure of the ultimate outcome, but the point here is that in some states, deplorable living conditions is considered neglect because it is unhealthy to live like that. I suppose it varies from state to state what constitutes neglect, but it's something to keep in mind while you decide what to do about this situation.

Good luck to you!